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Assessment of Radioactivity Levels for the Fuel Fabrication Facility at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site (Iraq)

Received: 14 March 2017    Accepted: 14 April 2017    Published: 6 May 2017
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Abstract

The activity concentrations of twenty soil samples collected from contaminated locations of Fuel Fabrication Facility (FFF) at Al- Tuwaitha nuclear site, Iraq, were determined by using spectroscopy with a high purity germanium detector. The range of activity concentrations of 238U (234mPa), 235U, 232Th (228Ac), and 40K in the soil from the studied areas varies from (177.74±60) to (375777.5±6895) Bqkg-1, (7.4±0.5) to (20954±407.5) Bqkg-1, (7.06±0.22) to (20.45±0.33) Bqkg1 and from (47.5±5.3) to (402.2±15.5) Bq kg-1 respectively. The isotopic mass and activity ratio of 235U/238U were calculated to identify kind of uranium, depleted or natural. To assess the radio logical risk for this site, RESRAD program was used to calculate total dose from all pathways (external, inhalation and soil ingestion) of exposure, the value of total dose was 2mSv/yr. Laboratory results indicated that the FFF was contaminated with 234mPa and 235U nuclides in excess of the IAEA limits for exemption from regulatory control, and indicating that the decommissioning operations for the FFF must be subjected to regulatory control and safety surveillance to ensure adequate protection of the operators, public and the environment.

Published in Radiation Science and Technology (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11
Page(s) 18-23
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Nuclides Activity Concentration, Mass and Activity Isotopic Ratio 235u/238u, Risk Assessment, Fuel Fabrication Facility

References
[1] Abdulhadi, Q. A., AL-Bakhat, Y. M. Z. Preliminary Decommissioning Plan (DP) Of The Destroyed Fuel Fabrication Facility (FFF), Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad, (2013) Rev.1 Submitted to IAEA.
[2] Adnan Jarjies A., M. J. Abbas, G. Healey, IAEA, Project to Decommissioning the Iraqi former Nuclear Complex-status of The Nuclear Facilities In Iraq- Issue 1 April (2008).
[3] Ministry of Science and Technology, 'Overarching Decommissioning Plan For The Iraqi Decommissioning'. Program, Jun. (2012) Rev.6.
[4] Newman, R. T., et al., 'Determination of soil, sand and ore primordial radionuclide concentrations by full spectrum analyses of high purity germanium detector spectra, Applications of Rations and Isotopes'.66 (2008), 855.
[5] American Society for testing and Materials, "C1402-04 Standard Guide for High Resolution Gamma –Ray Spectrometry of Soil Samples", Annual Book Standard Vol. 12.01. (2005): Nuclear Energy (I), ASTM International Standard Worldwide, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
[6] IAEA, "Measurement of Radionuclides in Food and the Environment", TRS No.295 (1989) Vienna.
[7] Currie L. A, "Limits for qualitative detection and quantitative determination Applications of radiochemistry", Analytic Chemistry Journal, Vol. 40 (1968) 586.
[8] IAEA. Derivation of Activity Concentration Values for Exclusion, Exemption and Clearance, Safety Standards Series No. 44 (2005), IAEA, Vienna.
[9] El-Zakia, T. and Abdel, H. A., “Natural Radioactivity of some local fertilizers”, Rom. J. Phys., vol. 52, no. 5-7(2007) 731.
[10] Todsadol Santawamaitre, "An Evaluation of the Level of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in Soil samples along the Chao Phraya River Basin", PhD, thesis, University of Surry, May 2012.
[11] United Nation Scientific Committee on the Effect of Atomic Radiation. (2000), "Sources and Effect of Ionizing Radiation", UNSCEAR 2000 Report Vol.1 to the General Assembly, with scientific annexes, United Nations Sales Publication, United Nation, New York.
[12] LUCA. Experimental Determination Of The Uranium Enrichment Ratio. Rom. Journ. Phys., Vol. 53, Nos. 1–2 (2008) 35.
[13] EBAID. Use Of Gamma-Ray Spectrometry For Uranium Isotopic AnalysisIn Environmental Samples. Rom. Journ. Phys., Vol. 55, Nos. 1–2(2010) 69.
[14] Yu, C. Development Of Probabilistic RESRAD 6.0 And RESRAD-Build 3.0 Computer Codes. NUREG/CR-6697 ANL/EAD/TM-98, November 20.
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    Altaf Abdul Majeed Al-Rahmani, Yousif Muhsin Zayir Al-Bakhat, Zainab Mussa Jbara. (2017). Assessment of Radioactivity Levels for the Fuel Fabrication Facility at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site (Iraq). Radiation Science and Technology, 3(3), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11

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    ACS Style

    Altaf Abdul Majeed Al-Rahmani; Yousif Muhsin Zayir Al-Bakhat; Zainab Mussa Jbara. Assessment of Radioactivity Levels for the Fuel Fabrication Facility at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site (Iraq). Radiat. Sci. Technol. 2017, 3(3), 18-23. doi: 10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11

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    AMA Style

    Altaf Abdul Majeed Al-Rahmani, Yousif Muhsin Zayir Al-Bakhat, Zainab Mussa Jbara. Assessment of Radioactivity Levels for the Fuel Fabrication Facility at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site (Iraq). Radiat Sci Technol. 2017;3(3):18-23. doi: 10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11,
      author = {Altaf Abdul Majeed Al-Rahmani and Yousif Muhsin Zayir Al-Bakhat and Zainab Mussa Jbara},
      title = {Assessment of Radioactivity Levels for the Fuel Fabrication Facility at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site (Iraq)},
      journal = {Radiation Science and Technology},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {18-23},
      doi = {10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.rst.20170303.11},
      abstract = {The activity concentrations of twenty soil samples collected from contaminated locations of Fuel Fabrication Facility (FFF) at Al- Tuwaitha nuclear site, Iraq, were determined by using spectroscopy with a high purity germanium detector. The range of activity concentrations of 238U (234mPa), 235U, 232Th (228Ac), and 40K in the soil from the studied areas varies from (177.74±60) to (375777.5±6895) Bqkg-1, (7.4±0.5) to (20954±407.5) Bqkg-1, (7.06±0.22) to (20.45±0.33) Bqkg1 and from (47.5±5.3) to (402.2±15.5) Bq kg-1 respectively. The isotopic mass and activity ratio of 235U/238U were calculated to identify kind of uranium, depleted or natural. To assess the radio logical risk for this site, RESRAD program was used to calculate total dose from all pathways (external, inhalation and soil ingestion) of exposure, the value of total dose was 2mSv/yr. Laboratory results indicated that the FFF was contaminated with 234mPa and 235U nuclides in excess of the IAEA limits for exemption from regulatory control, and indicating that the decommissioning operations for the FFF must be subjected to regulatory control and safety surveillance to ensure adequate protection of the operators, public and the environment.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Assessment of Radioactivity Levels for the Fuel Fabrication Facility at Al-tuwaitha Nuclear Site (Iraq)
    AU  - Altaf Abdul Majeed Al-Rahmani
    AU  - Yousif Muhsin Zayir Al-Bakhat
    AU  - Zainab Mussa Jbara
    Y1  - 2017/05/06
    PY  - 2017
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11
    T2  - Radiation Science and Technology
    JF  - Radiation Science and Technology
    JO  - Radiation Science and Technology
    SP  - 18
    EP  - 23
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5943
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rst.20170303.11
    AB  - The activity concentrations of twenty soil samples collected from contaminated locations of Fuel Fabrication Facility (FFF) at Al- Tuwaitha nuclear site, Iraq, were determined by using spectroscopy with a high purity germanium detector. The range of activity concentrations of 238U (234mPa), 235U, 232Th (228Ac), and 40K in the soil from the studied areas varies from (177.74±60) to (375777.5±6895) Bqkg-1, (7.4±0.5) to (20954±407.5) Bqkg-1, (7.06±0.22) to (20.45±0.33) Bqkg1 and from (47.5±5.3) to (402.2±15.5) Bq kg-1 respectively. The isotopic mass and activity ratio of 235U/238U were calculated to identify kind of uranium, depleted or natural. To assess the radio logical risk for this site, RESRAD program was used to calculate total dose from all pathways (external, inhalation and soil ingestion) of exposure, the value of total dose was 2mSv/yr. Laboratory results indicated that the FFF was contaminated with 234mPa and 235U nuclides in excess of the IAEA limits for exemption from regulatory control, and indicating that the decommissioning operations for the FFF must be subjected to regulatory control and safety surveillance to ensure adequate protection of the operators, public and the environment.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Physics, College of Science for Women, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

  • Radiation and Safety Directorate, Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad, Iraq

  • Radiation and Safety Directorate, Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad, Iraq

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